


Let's Go Out With a Bang

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe- non magic, Customer Service, Deaf Sirius, Fluff, Genderfluid Sirius, Get together fic, Language Barrier, M/M, Pining, Sign Language, mobile repair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-17 02:08:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5849848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Remus is ready to throttle the next customer who is rude to him, he ends up meeting Sirius Black, and his entire day is turned round for the better.  Especially when it ends in an after work snog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Go Out With a Bang

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to waldosbestfriend who tagged me in a post on tumblr where someone was talking about how their hearing friend left an outgoing voicemail message that said, "This is ___'s phone, but he's Deaf so what are you even doing?" 
> 
> The BSL in this fic is not written in BSL grammar, but closer to that than proper English to give the reader an idea of direct translation.
> 
> Also waldosbestfriend- you can't yell at me for posting because I've had this written for ages and didn't have the time to give it a read-through before now. I'm not working, I'm taking a holiday, I swear. x
> 
> (although I will say I am off hiatus officially! My book is finished and off to my editor *throws confetti*)

Bent over the counter, Remus tapped away on his mobile, hoping that his hunched shoulders and slight scowl would ward off any of these tech-obsessed, I know better than you know, arsebags that came to him for a fix all the while criticising how he actually solved the problem. His obnoxious boss’ voice echoed in his head, “Remember to be polite now. We live in a day and age where most people can fix their own electronics with the google and such. So they’re coming to us when they’ve exhausted all other options and they won’t be happy. We want them to leave happy.”

It amazed Remus how Horace managed to know next to nothing about technology whatsoever and yet run a successful outlet for the mobile company.

Either way, his wages were enough to keep him in weekly take-aways and a stocked tea cabinet so he put up with it.

He only wished his boss cared for the wellbeing of the employees as much as the pocketbooks and smiles of the sodding customers who acted like no one at the shop knew what the hell they were doing.

Never mind all of them were well trained.

Or well…most of them.

It had been a bad day, though. Remus had been shouted at by the last five customers over shattered iPhone screens. “I’m sorry but we don’t cover fits of anger and smashing the iPhone against the wall,” was apparently the wrong thing to say to the shithead in the suit and tie who then demanded to speak to the owner and also demanded to have Remus sacked on the spot.

He wasn’t, but Horace made a big show of giving Remus a formal warning for the customer’s trouble.

He left with a still-shattered iPhone and a smug look on his face.

Which is what left Remus stood at the counter now ready to leap across the divide and strangle the next person who so much as gave him a hint of cheek.

He was halfway through an email to Alice when there was the sound of knuckles rapping on the top of the polished counter. Irritation raced through him. Knocking at him was just a hair less rude than someone snapping their fingers in his face, and he lifted his head, prepared to tell this customer just how public service etiquette worked, when he froze.

Stood before him was probably the most gorgeous person Remus had ever seen. Shorter than Remus by several inches, he had thick, black hair twisted into a lazy topknot, unbelievable cheekbones, a round nose, grey eyes, and a smile that made Remus think maybe his kneecaps had decided to abandon ship and find another body to support.

He gripped the counter as he cleared his throat. “Hi, welcome to…”

The gorgeous person put up a hand for him to stop, then with careful fingers moved them round and it took Remus several seconds to process what was happening. Sign Language. He was using sign language to say, ‘Sign you?’

Remus had taken his BSL Level One course back before his A-Levels when Alice convinced him that it would be useful if they ever got jobs where they had to work with the public. And he’d done well enough, even got as far as being able to hold an alright conversation, but that was now nearly six years ago and he hadn’t used it since. Not even with Alice.

Remus gulped and quickly signed. ‘Sorry. Small,’ because he couldn’t remember how to sign only a little, but he exaggerated the sign so the person might get the idea that what he knew these days was pathetic. A handful of colours and numbers. Maybe the alphabet if the person signed very very slowly.

Laughing, the gorgeous person shook his head and then reached into his leather jacket, pulling out a notebook filled with light lavender paper, and a biro. He lifted his brows as if to as, ‘This alright?’ and after Remus nodded, he began to scribble.

**Something wrong with mobile. No call out, now no text and need text badly, have friend try fix but no fix. You help?**

Remus read it over and lifted his eyebrows. He took the biro and wrote back. _So sorry if this is rude but you have a voice plan?_

Laughing, the gorgeous person grinned and Remus felt his stomach drop somewhere near his missing kneecaps. **I do. Emergency if need. Friend use sometime. You fix? Please?**

Remus nodded quickly, scribbling, _Yeah let me see your mobile. And can you write down your account number and name?_

**Sirius Black** , was what came first, then the account number, then the very shiny, clearly altered mobile which was covered in glitter amongst other things. The background image was of Sirius and an Indian bloke with wild hair and glasses, cheek-to-cheek at what looked like a concert venue.

Remus typed in the information, went through the verification process, then began to work on it. Every now and again, he’d glance up at Sirius who was watching with what was probably the most adorable smile Remus had ever seen in his life, and it took his absolute and total control not to swoon or pass out or die or something.

Instead he took in a shaking breath and made a test call. He realised immediately what the problem was, and grabbed for the notebook and biro. _I figured it out. They updated the software and now you have to set up your voicemail box with an outgoing message, otherwise it causes an error in the account. They’re working on it but for now, that’s the only fix._

Sirius snorted loudly, shaking his head. He reached up and made the signs for something Remus didn’t recognise, his purple-painted nails glinting in the harsh fluorescent lights of the shop. 

Remus flushed. ‘Don’t understand,’ he signed. ‘Sorry.’

Sirius waved him off, then scribbled on the notebook. **No voice, sign only. You help?**

Remus’ eyes widened. _You want me to record a message?_

Sirius nodded, his grin widening and eyes lighting up so bright that Remus thought maybe he wasn’t even human. Maybe he was an actual star that fell to earth or some other Neil Gaiman shite. He cleared his throat. **You record. Make good record. Cute message, yeah?**

Worrying his bottom lip, Remus shrugged and quickly went through the steps. When he was done, he handed it back to Sirius and reached for the notepad. _Sorted. You need anything else?_

Before Sirius could answer, the second object of Sirius’ background image came bursting into the shop, his hands flying at Sirius. Rolling his eyes, Sirius turned and began to respond in kind, and Remus watched the exchange with mild amusement. The Indian bloke looked put out, a bit like the parent of a lost child. Remus couldn’t understand what was being said, it was clear Sirius was getting a good telling-off.

When it was over, Sirius turned back to Remus. ‘Sorry,’ he signed.

Remus smiled very softly, waving the apology off. He didn’t have the signs for anything he was thinking, for anything he wanted to ask, so he just leant over the counter and clasped his hands together. Sirius looked at him, then looked at Remus’ hands, then reached out and grabbed them, giving them a squeeze.

Before anything else could happen, the other bloke hauled Sirius off. “Thanks, mate,” he called out to Remus before dragging Sirius out of the shop.

Letting out a dejected sigh, Remus cursed himself for not being able to be more forward or…or anything. He doubted anyone as gorgeous as Sirius would ever cross his path again.

*** 

Yanked out of the shop, Sirius shoved his best mate away. ‘What?’

‘No flirting, we late! Lily waiting!’ James’ fingers flew. ‘I say no run off, you run off!’

Sirius rolled his eyes. ‘I need mobile fix. He fix!’

‘What broken?’ James asked, taking the mobile and turning it in his hands.

Sirius quickly explained about the voicemail issue, and that the cute mobile man had sorted it. ‘Cute mobile man record message. So cute. He so cute.’

James rolled his eyes, then pulled out his own mobile and dialled. ‘I call and listen. Change if rubbish.’ 

Sirius watched his best mate’s face passive, then change, then suddenly he threw his head back and laughed. Elbowing him hard, Sirius stomped his foot. ‘What say. Exact English!’

James tucked his mobile back into his jeans and handed Sirius off before he signed word-for-word, the cute mobile man’s message. ‘Hi, this is Sirius Black’s voicemail. But he’s Deaf so what are you even doing right now?’

Sirius felt something shock through him. Normally he steered very clear of hearing boys, being that they never even attempted to learn sign, let alone communicate with him. The few he had dated would act like they wanted to learn, then spent the entire duration of their relationship trying to convince him to take speech therapy. 

Remus, however, had used the basics he had, and was patient with the writing, hadn’t treated him like he was an idiot. He looked Sirius in the eyes each time, apologised when he didn’t know a sign, and it didn’t help that he was quite possibly the fittest bloke Sirius had run into in a damned long time. Adorable, wild dark curls, big nose, dimples, freckles.

Sirius wanted to climb him like a fucking tree, but refrained only because Remus was at work and he wasn’t entirely sure the shy smiles were flirting.

But the voice message did it. 

‘You go meet Lily. I go inside ask for date.’

James’ eyes widened. ‘Sirius…no.’

‘Yes,’ Sirius said, nodding his head hard. ‘He cute, I want. I ask for coffee. Meet later. Phone work now, text later. Go.’

James looked like he was about to stop Sirius, but in the end just rolled his eyes again, dropped a kiss on the corner of Sirius’ mouth, and hurried off to meet his girlfriend.

Sirius took a moment to pull out his notebook and scribbled down his number and the question, **Sorry if I get wrong, but you want coffee with me? And snog later maybe?** Then he tucked it into his pocket and went back into the shop.

For a second, he was dismayed. He didn’t see the cute mobile man anywhere. Then he spotted him talking to a tall, older woman with short hair who looked a bit like a toad. The woman looked like she was saying something rude—and he wasn’t surprised, and the cute mobile man looked like he was bearing the whole thing with very little patience.

Sirius had to wonder how much trouble he’d get the cute mobile man in if he interrupted, but he knew once they realised he was Deaf, they’d let him alone and maybe then he could save the cute mobile man from this obnoxious hag.

Nodding to himself, Sirius strolled over and tapped the cute one on the shoulder. Turning, the mobile man’s face was scowling, but immediately softened.

‘Need help,’ Sirius signed.

The cute one blinked, then held up his finger asking him to hold on. He turned back to the woman who shifted and looked very uncomfortable. She wore the, I’m afraid Deafness might be catching, expression which Sirius loved to bother the hearies with, and then was shunted over to a tall ginger who gave the cute mobile man a withering glower before taking the customer.

Turning back, the cute one grinned at Sirius, making his heart hammer against his ribs as he motioned him back to the counter. Lifting his hands he signed in an adorably broken way, ‘Mobile BROKEN?’

Sirius grinned. ‘Name you what?’

Blinking, the cute one looked down and realised his badge was turned backward, and he flushed. Turning it, he pointed to the name there and Sirius leant forward, pinching the badge between his thin fingers to read it.

Remus Lupin. Tech Supervisor.

Sirius licked his lips, then lifted his hands to spell the name. As he did, he noticed that Remus had pushed his sleeves up, and there was a crescent moon tattoo on his wrist. Sirius grinned and reached out to touch it. Remus blushed and shrugged in a way that said, ‘Yeah, don’t judge me.’

Acting on impulse, which was basically how Sirius functioned ninety percent of the time, he grabbed his biro and Remus’ wrist, drawing a little star hanging off the end of the crescent moon’s pointed tip. He then pointed at the star, then pointed to himself.

He watched Remus’ lips curve over his name. ‘Sirius.’ And his eyes went alight with realisation. 

Sirius laughed, then pulled the note out of his pocket, and pushed it toward Remus. He watched him read it, then turn very pink in the cheeks and look up with wondering eyes. 

‘Me?’ Remus signed, disbelieving.

It bothered Sirius for a second that Remus would question the idea of anyone wanting him. He was criminally adorable and deserved to be fawned over and kissed all over his face. But Sirius settled for nodding and signing, ‘Please?’

Remus motioned for the biro which Sirius gave over, and he wrote under Sirius’ note, _But my signing is shite._

Sirius laughed again, feeling it vibrate in his chest, and he shook his head, loving the delighted look on Remus’ face. **I teach you. I very good teacher, you like. Good reward for good sign.** Then he carefully signed, ‘Kiss.’

Remus flushed, and Sirius was very pleased to see he recognised that sign. Licking his lips, Remus glanced off to the side, then scribbled quickly, _My shift ends in twenty. Wait for me?_

Sirius felt his heart speed up a fraction and he was nodding almost frantically. **Anything for you.**

Remus’ mouth dropped open just a little, and god did Sirius want to kiss him. But he would wait. Twenty one minutes and maybe a few seconds—however long it took to get Remus outside and against a wall. 

*** 

It actually took twenty-two minutes and thirty three seconds, but who was counting when there was snogging just outside the glass doors?


End file.
